The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-02-21
T II Z
February DIST.
THE PACIFIC CABLE.

London message to the Sydney
"Morning Herald was quoted in Satur-
days ADVERTISER, stating that vessel
chad been dispatched to survey the
cable route between Vancouver and
these Islands" A London cablegram to
the Sydney DAILY Telegraph" of the
same date puts It somewhat differently
1t says:
A Canadian Pacific steamer is preparing
to take soundings for the proposed cable
between Vancouver and the Sandwich
Islands.
The statement savors more of accu-
racy than the previous one, and pre-
sents the project as being less forward
than would appear before that. 1t is by
no means improbable that arrangements
may be in course of development to dis
patch vessel without the matter being
generally known in press circles on the
North American continent, but it is
scarcely likely that the dispatch would
be fat accompli without the news be-
coming public property. But even
should it have been decided upon, this
is but a very preliminary part of the bus
mess, and, as the Telegraph" in COM
menting upon the message of its CORE
spondent, remarks, means nothing more
than that as much exact information as
possible is to be obtained with a view to
estimating the practicability and cost OF
the new line of communication. The
work would be a great one of it's kind if
carried out, but it can be hardly said to
have come within measurable distance
of realization. Apart from all consider
alton of the extraordinary risks to which
it would be exposed, economical reasons
will in all probability prohibit its con-
structiou for some time to come. Ac-
cOrding to the Electrician" so long as
the scheme is put forward as a CONNER
cial enterprise it has not the smallest
chance of being carried out. A rough calcu-
Iation of the outlay involved, and very
liberal estimate OF the probable traffic
suffice to show the impossibility of a re-
munerative investment being found in
this direction. 1t is pretty certain, con-
tinues the Telegraph, i" that the pro-
motors are looking for their profit in a
much more than ordinary degree to the
subsidies of the countries, which, it is
presumed, would be benefited by the en-
terprise Canada is said to have shown
u disposition to act generously in this
way, but it is extremely doubtful
whether Australia will contribute any
thing more than good wishes, and they,
it is needless to say, viii add very little
to the percentage of interest on capital.
Relatively speaking, the Hawaiian
Islands and the several others in the Pa
cific Ocean at which the proposed cable
is to touch, will derive more commercial
benefit from it than either OF the major
countries concerned, because each OF
these already has cable communication
by some other route with the rest OF the
world. If the dictum of the journal we
have Just quoted may be taken as fair
criterion, the Australian Colonies are
somewhat lukewarm about it. but it Is
understood that the Imperial Govern
ment attach more Importance to the pro-
iect as affording safeguard against the
Dossible interruption of cable commune
cation with the Indian Empire by way
of the east in time of war, by establish
ing an alternate route.